Tales of Roger
by peppymint
Summary: The pirate king wasn't a monster or a demon, he was a man, and all that implies. It is time and past this knowledge was passed to his son.
1. Portgas D Ace

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

 _This is set in a universe where ASL is being raised on the Moby Dick. I am not going to go into details about how it happened because I don't feel it is important to the story. Just pick your favorite ASL story and assume that is how they got there. This story is about something else. Humanity._

 **Portgas D. Ace**

Ace looked up surprised as Marco entered the room, closing the door silently behind himself.

"We need to talk."

Frantically the youngster searched his mind about what could have put such a serious expression on the powerful pirate's face. Thatch hadn't seemed that upset about the hair dye, just set them all to scrubbing potatoes. Had the crew changed their minds about letting them stay? Had something happened to his brothers? Before Ace could work himself into a full-fledged panic Marco spoke again.

"About Roger."

Ace went red, an all too familiar rage boiling up. "Don't speak to me about that . . ."

"No Ace," Marco cut him off with a gesture. "This time I am going to speak and you are going to listen." In his opinion Garp should have done something about this situation years ago. Should have never let this happen in the first place, but since he hadn't, it seemed it was up to him. "Don't get me wrong," the Phoenix said. "Roger and I had our differences." They had been on rival crews after all. "But he wasn't a demon, or a monster."

The pirate king's son opened his mouth to object only to freeze, pined in place by a pair of serious dark eyes. "All those people who say so, they would say the exact same thing about Pops."

The boy's eyes went wide. "But . . ."

"He was strong," Marco cut him off again, "and strong men make enemies. That doesn't mean he was less or more than human." He took a deep breath. "You, Gol D. Ace, deserve better than to believe garbage spouted by people who didn't know him and don't know you." After a moment, the pirate's face softened as he knelt down to ruffle Ace's hair. The kid really was too cute.

"I won't ask you not to hate him," the redhead said softly. "But if you decide you want to know who Roger really was, you know where to find me." Slowly, Marco rose and left the room, the door swinging back closed.

As for Ace, he didn't move for a long time. He had a lot to think about.

 _/_

 _As may be obvious from the title, this fic is going to be made up of tales about Roger from the point of view of people who would have actually known him. It always bugged me that no one ever seemed to try and convince Ace that there was nothing wrong with him being born._


	2. Marco the Phoenix

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

 _And now, the next installment of Peppymint's Fanfiction Blitz 2017_

 _Day two of seven_

 **Marco the Phoenix  
**

Marco opened his door to find a sulky twelve year old. Who knew how long the other had been standing there. Ace's dark eyes blazed defiance, jaw clenched tight, but he was there. Ah well, the phoenix thought to himself. One step at a time right; he would take what he could get. He opened the door wider. "Come in yoi."

"I," Ace began biting his lip. "I want. Um I mean . . ." Small fingers twisted the hem of his shirt uncertainly.

Marco's eyes softened as he inwardly cursed everyone who had ever given this child a reason to think that he didn't deserve to live. "I understand yoi." He dropped back onto his bunk, pulling up one leg to rest his arms on his knees. "People today like to talk like Roger and Pops were mortal enemies. But the truth yoi, is that they rivals. A meeting with the Roger Pirates was more likely to end in a party than a fight." The phoenix snorted with amusement. "I'd have to look at the records to be sure but I think the number one way to land in the infirmary when Roger was around was alcohol poisoning."

Ace blinked. Say what now?

Casting his mind back, Marco settled on which memory he would share today. As long as Ace was determined to be nothing like his Father, he could at least make sure the kid was nothing like Roger in all the right ways. "We did fight sometimes though," he admitted freely. Hey, they were pirates.

"I remember one time we ran into Roger's crew near the calm belt. I never did find out what they had been tangling with, but it must have been huge. Your Father looked like shit." The redhead smirked remembering the sight of the swaying pirate king. "Say what you will about Roger, he was tough yoi," the phoenix continued. "But he never did know when to back down. Half dead and still insisting he could take Pops in a fight."

"Seriously," muttered Ace. That sounded, well to be honest it sounded like something Luffy would do.

"Lucky for him," Marco went on as though he hadn't heard. "His first mate had a solid head on his shoulders. One moment Rayleigh was calling Roger's name and the next he had socked his own Captain in the face." Haki and all. The veteran pirate chuckled. "Roger went down like a sack of seastone."

"And then what happened?" Ace asked. He was getting into the story in spite of himself.

"And then Rayleigh threw Roger over his shoulder and shouted for everyone to run away." Marco shrugged, "not that he was gone for long. He showed up a week later, no ship, no crew. He must have swum the entire way yoi; all to demand a rematch."

"Just for a rematch?" the kid whispered in disbelief. His Father had been insane.

"Not entirely."

Ace looked up questioningly to be met with a smirk.

"Roger wanted his hat back too."

 _/_

 _I do have plans for more segments of this. They will be forthcoming when I have both time and inspiration._

 _Until then hope you enjoyed and please review._


	3. Silvers Rayleigh

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

 _Peppymint's Fanfiction Blitz of 2018: Day Two of Seven_

 **Rayleigh**

It wasn't every day, even on the Grand Line that someone swam up to the Moby Dick dragging a large bottle of sake. He wasn't even a fishman which made it even weirder. Though truth be told, Ace would have written the visitor off as none of his business if the man hadn't been who he was. Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King, right hand man of the Pirate King.

Ace scowled as Marco came up to stand beside him, the phoenix casually resting his weight on a nearby barrel. "Am I supposed to think this is a coincidence?" he bit out. Just how stupid did the other think he was.

As for Marco, the veteran pirate had to resist the urge to ruffle his younger brother's hair. So cute; though he was confident that given enough time Ace would grow into the expression. Instead the pirate reached down to gently squeeze the boy's shoulder. "Just talk to him Ace."

No way, Ace thought firmly. Not now, not ever.

"You know, you look just like him with your face like that."

Ace nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Rayleigh's voice. How had the other gotten so close? Then, upon registering the words vowed to never make that expression again. "Here to tell me how perfect _that man_ was," the boy bit out crossing his arms.

"Roger," the Dark King laughed. "Perfect. Not hardly. For one he was terrible with woman." He had always found those rumors about Roger having a girl in every port hilarious.

Ace blinked. Say what now?

"He had a total case of foot in mouth disease." He could not count the number or woman who had slapped his captain across the face. Rayleigh grinned as he looked down at Roger's only child. "I remember when he met your Mother. It took him a day and a half just to work up the nerve to speak to her, and when he did Roger just blurted out something about it being lovely weather that day." The retired pirate smiled softly. "It was pouring down rain at the time."

Ace bit his lip a moment before giving into his curiosity. "What happened then?"

"He got lucky, Rouge laughed." Rayleigh reached down to ruffle the boy's raven hair glad he had chosen to make this trip. "If she hadn't, you wouldn't be here right now."

 _ToRToRToR_

 _I think the muses are finally starting to cooperate on this one_

 _But if anyone has any ideas feel free to send me a review_

 _No promises but you never know what might inspire me_


	4. Crocus

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

 _Considering starting a new chapter story. I just can't decide which of my plunnies it is going to be. I might put my poll back up. Then again, I might not. We'll see. Until then, have ficlet. Hope you enjoy and please review. It makes me happy._

 **Crocus**

 _Ah. Ah. Achoo!_ Ace glowered at nothing in particular as his legs dangled off the edge of the bench. "This is stupid," he said. "It is just a cold." Marco and Namur had let him tag along on one of their minor errands for Pops, and he had been having a great time. Until this. Ace wasn't sure which was worse, the guy's bedside manner or those ridiculous drums that seem to come from nowhere.

The old man just glowered as he examined Ace out of the corner of his eye before shoving the thermometer back into the boy's mouth. "It is never just a cold. Not on the Grandline." Turning, Crocus walked over to one of his shelves, removing several jars. "Whitebeard and his children understand this." Another knowing look. "Roger did too." It was after all a disease that had brought down the King of Pirates in the end.

Ace nearly choked on the thermometer.

"Really boy," Crocus tisked. "You didn't think the Phoenix would take you to just any doctor did you?"

Ace just looked away.

"You've got his face. Rogue's freckles though. Your hair hangs more like hers too."

His Mom? Ace frowned. This guy had known her? He opened his mouth to ask only to sneeze again.

Crocus sighed, removing the thermometer and holding it up to the light. Slight fever but nothing serious. Opening a nearby chest, he pulled out a hand-made blanket and wrapped it around the kid's shoulders. "Take care of that," he told him. "It was a gift from your Father."

Blinking, Ace looked down at the blanket. He hadn't thought that man was the type to give gifts. "He bought this for you?"

Laughing, Crocus shook his head. "No, he made it."

"You're joking," Ace said flatly. He knew quality work when he saw it. He could have sold this blanket for a pretty penny in High Town.

Crocus's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Is it really so shocking that the mighty Pirate King knitted?"

 _Tales of Roger_


End file.
